Ladles



N6: om nmxvm 16E vw Nov; 2, 1965 J. M. SACCOMANO LADLES Filed March 18, 1963 United States Patent C) 3,214,804 LADLES Joseph M. Saccomano, Mountainside, N.J., assignor to Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation, Brackenridge, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 265,917 3 Claims. (Cl. 22-85) This invention relates to apparatus which is useful in processing metals, and in particular to a teeming ladle which is particularly suitable for utilizing gas injection in connection with the vacuum degassing of molten metals preparatory to the teeming thereof into conventional ingot molds.

Heretofore, many devices have been utilized to inject an inert gas into a reservoir of molten metal. The function of such gas injection is to create a turbulence within the reservoir of molten metal, thereby stirring the molten metal either for the purpose of preventing segregation of the alloying constituents or for the removal of suspended non-metallic inclusions which will readily coalesce.

More recently, various apparatus have been utilized for injecting inert gases into a reservoir of molten metal during the vacuum degassing of the molten metal preparatory to casting the molten metal into ingots. These various apparatus have taken the form of lances and other auxiliary equipment which have been immersed within the :molten metal bath contained within the ladle. Other devices have utilized the piping of an inert gas through the stopper rod of a teeming ladle for injection into the molten metal bath.

The apparatus of the present invention utilizes a novel approach to injecting a fluid under pressure into a molten metal bath contained within a teeming ladle, which apparatus does not require major alteration of presently existing and used stopper rod components.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel apparatus for injecting a fluid under pressure into a molten bath.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for injecting a fluid under pressure into a molten metal bath, said fluid being metered to the molten metal through the refractory stopper rod head.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a refractory stopper rod head for use in conjunction with standard stopper rod assemblies in a teeming ladle for the injection of a fluid under pressure through the stopper rod head into the molten metal bath contained within the teeming ladle.

These and other objects of this invenion will become more apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the following description and the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view in partial section of a teeming ladle employing the apparatus of the present invention; and

FlG.-2 is a partial view in section illustrating the gas injection apparatus of the stopper rod assembly.

Refering now to the drawings, this invention is illustrated by reference to the teeming ladle shown generally at 10. The teeming ladle comprises a base 12 and substantially upwardly extending side walls 14 secured to the base 12 and disposed to form a reservoir for receiving a supply of molten metal therein. As is the usual practice, the base 12 and upwardly extending side walls 14 are formed of an outer metallic shell 15 and an inner refractory lining 16 which may be of the conventional fire brick or any other suitable refractory material, for example, a castable refractory. The base 12 is also provided with an opening therein in which an outlet nozzle shown generally at 18, is secured. The outlet nozzle 18 is also formed of a refractory material and has a cen- 3,2l4384 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 trally disposed bore 20 extending therethrough and terminating at its upper portion in a Well 22 which is usually of a conical shape. The outlet nozzle 18 with its central bore 20 and well 22 thus forms a passageway for the metering of molten metal therethrough.

The ladle 10 is also provided with a stopper rod assembly shown generally at 24 which is disposed for seating engagement within the well 22 of the outlet nozzle 18. The stopper rod assembly 24 is connected to a lever system shown schematically at 25 and which is generally referred to as a gooseneck, the details of which are well known to those skilled in the art. Thus, the stopper rod assembly 24 having a portion thereof disposed in seating engagement within the well 22 of the outlet nozzle 18 may be moved by means of the gooseneck to meter a predetermined amount of molten metal through the passageway formed in the outlet nozzle 18.

The stopper rod assembly 24 is formed of a stopper rod pin 26 having an attachment portion 28 which is secured to the gooseneck and the other end of said stopper rod pin 26 terminates in a tail flange 30 (see FIG. 2), the function of which will be more fully described hereinafter. The stopper rod pin 26 is usually of a solid steel construction in which the attachment portion 28 is preferably threaded for locking engaement onto the gooseneck by means of stop nuts 31. A stopper head 32, which usually consists of a shaped refractory compound, is preferably formed in a substantially paraboloid con figuration terminating at its upper end in a shoulder portion 34 of predetermined dimensions and having a frustroconic section 36 formed integral with the shoulder portion 34 of the stopper head 32. The stopper head 32 is provided with a central bore therethrough, the upper portion 38 of which has a diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the stopper rod pin 26 but limited in extent to a diameter smaller than the diameter of the tail flange 30 of the stopper rod pin 26. The lower portion 40 of the central bore has a diameter at least sufiiciently large to accommodate the diameter of the tail flange 30 of the stopper rod pin 26. The stopper head 32 is thus disposed to seat on the tail flange 30 adjacent the juncture of the lower portion 40 of the central bore and the upper portion 38 of the centrally disposed bore of the stopper head 32. A castable refractory 42, for example, consisting of about 50% clay graphite and 50% electrode joint compound which is mixed to a putty consistency is preferably disposed about the tail flange 30 and the upper portion 38 of the centrally disposed bore in order to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween.

The stopper head 32 is also provided with a plurality of radially extending gas passageways 44 which are disposed in spaced relation about the stopper head 32 and extend angularly downward from the outer periphery of the stopper above its line of contact with the outlet nozzle 18 and inwardly into the lower portion 40 of the central bore of the stopper 32 at a predetermined distance below the tail flange 30. The gas passageways 44 are provided with a porous refractory material 46, for example, an alumina-silica refractory fibre in the form or rope such as that marketed under the trademark Fiberfrax by the Carborundum Corporation, which is im pervious to the flow of molten metal therethrough yet permits the passage therethrough of a fluid under pressure to be injected into the molten metal in the ladle as more fully described hereinafter.

A plurality of ceramic sleeves 48 are disposed to encase the stopper rod pin 26 in seating engagement on the shoulder portion 34 of the stopper head 32. Each ceramic sleeve is disposed to have a female section formed to complement the frustroconic section 36 of the stopper head 32 and the other end of the ceramic sleeve formed similar to the frustroconic section 36 of the stopper head 32. Thus, the frustroconic section 36 of the stopper head 32 serves to key the ceramic sleeve 48 into seatingengagement on the shoulder portion 34 of the stopper head 32. Where desired, the ceramic sleeves 48 are securely maintained in position by the locking pressure nut 49 which is threaded on the head portion 28 of the stopper rod pin 26.

As stated hereinbefore, one of the functions of the present apparatus is for the injection of a fluid under pressure into the molten metal bath contained within the reservoir within the teeming ladle. In order to accomplish this, a fluid dispersing unit, shown generally at 50, is disposed to be secured within the lower portion 48 of the central bore of the stopper head 32. The fluid dispersing unit 51 comprises a centrally disposed downwardly depending conduit 52 secured at the upper end thereof to the tail flange 30 of the stopper rod 26. The downwardly depending conduit 52 may be welded in position on the tail flange 30 or any other suitable means may be used to secure the fluid dispersing unit 50 within the central bore of the stopper head 32. The other end of the conduit 52 of the fluid dispersing unit 50 extends a predetermined distance below the bottom extremity of the lower portion 40 of the central bore of the stopper head 32 and terminates in communication with a connecting fixture 54 that is disposed to be removably secured to an external source of fluid under pressure. The fixture 54 may take the form of a pipe sleeve or any other standard quick disconnect fixture. The conduit 52 is also provided with at least one exit port 56 for metering a fluid under pressure and is disposed, preferably in close proximity to the gas passageways 44 in the stopper head 32. A pair of outwardly extending spaced flanges 57 and 58 are disposed to be secured to and about the conduit 52 above and below the exit port 56 of the conduit 52. The outwardly extending flanges 57 and 58 define an annular passageway which terminates adjacent the juncture of the gas passageway 44 with the lower portion 40 of the centrally disposed bore of the stopper head 32.

At least one convolution of a mesh material 60, preferably a stainless steel screen, is disposed to extend between the outwardly extending flanges 57 and 58 and enclose the exit port 56 of the conduit 52. Porous refractory material 46 which is disposed to extend within the gas passageways 44 of the stopper head 32 also fills the balance of the annular passageway defined by the outwardly extending flanges 57 and 58 except for that portion which is maintained within the convolution of mesh material 60. The porous refractory material 46 is impervious to the passage of molten metal therethrough but does not prevent the passage of a fluid under pressure therethrough and into the molten metal bath. A sealing ring 62 is disposed to be secured about the conduit 52 adjacent the lower extremity of the lower portion 40 of the centrally disposed bore in the stopper head 32. The sealing ring 62 preferably has a diameter of sufficient degree so that it has contact with the side walls of the lower portion 40 of the central bore. Thus, the lower of the outwardly extending flanges 58 and the sealing ring 62 define an additional annular compartment which is preferably sealed with castable refractory 42. This refractory material as thus disposed between the sealing ring 62 and the lower of the outwardly extending flanges 58 provides a backseal for preventing the escape of the fluid under pressure as it passes out of the exit port 56 of the conduit 52.

A fluid under pressure is supplied to the fluid dispersing unit 50 through the fixture 54. The fluid under pressure is directed to the fixture 54 by means of inserting a threaded end of a pipe 64 into the fixture 54, said pipe being connected to a suitable source of supply (not shown) of fluid and extending through the passageway 20 in the outlet nozzle 18. The fluid under pressure is usually in the form of an inert gas which passes through the fixture 54 and into the conduit 52 of the fluid dispersing unit 50. Thereafter the fluid under pressure is emitted from the exit port 56 from which it is dispersed through the convolution of mesh material 60 through the porous refractory material 46 and out the gas passageway 44 of the stopper rod 32 and into the molten metal in the ladle.

In operation, the ladle 10 is prepared with its outlet nozzle 18 secured into the base 12 with the well 22 of the outlet nozzle 18 being positioned at the lowest-most point within the refractory lining 16 of the ladle 10. Thereafter, the fluid dispersing unit 50 is assembled by securing the outwardly extending flanges 57 and 58 to the conduit 55 astride the exit port 56 of the conduit 52. At least one convolution of mesh material 60 is thereafter Wound around the conduit 52 intermediate the outwardly extending flanges 57 and 58. As completed, the fluid dispersing unit 50 is secured, for example, by welding the same, to the tail flange of the stopper rod pin 26.

In constructing the stopper rod assembly 24, the stopper head 32 is placed over the head 28 of the stopper rod pin 26 and lowered down the length of the stopper rod pin 26 until it is in close proximity to the tail flange 30 and fluid dispersing unit 50. Thereafter, the castable refractory 42 is rammed adjacent the tail flange 30, the upper of the outwardly extending flanges 57 and a portion of the side walls of the lower bore following Which the stopper head 32 is lowered in seating engagement on the tail flange 39 in order to provide a seal to prevent the passage of the fluid under pressure around the tail flange 30 and out the upper portion 38 of the central bore of the stopper head 32.

Ceramic sleeves 48 are next lowered over the stopper rod pin 26 so that the female portion is in registry with the frustroconic section 36 and in seating engagement on the shoulder portion 34 of the stopper head 32. Sufficient ceramic sleeves 48 are utilized to completely encase the stopper rod pin 26 above the level of the reservoir of molten metal contained in the ladle 10, The ceramic sleeves are securely maintained in position by means of locking nut 49 which is threaded onto the head 28 of the stopper rod pin 26.

With the fluid dispersing unit 50 thus secured into position, porous refractory material 46 is rammed into the gas passageways 44 and into the balance of the annular passageway defined by the pair of spaced outwardly extending flanges 57 and 58 and the convolution 60 of mesh material. Castable refractory 42 is next rammed into the annular space between the lower of the outwardly extending flanges 58 and the side walls of the lower portion 40 of the central bore of the stopper head 32. The sealing ring 62 is thereafter secured into position on the conduit which thus cooperates with the castable refractory 42 to seal the lower portion 40 of the central bore from the passage of the fluid under pressure thereabout. The fixture 54 is thereafter secured to the central conduit 50 of the fluid dispersing unit.

As thus assembled, the stopper rod assembly 24 is placed in position with the stopper head 32 disposed in seating engagement within the well 22 of the outlet nozzle 18. The head portion 28 of the stopper rod pin 26 is secured by means of locking nuts 31 to the gooseneck 25, thereby maintaining the stopper rod assembly 24 in its seating engagement position within the outlet nozzle 18. Thereafter, molten metal is admitted to the ladle 10 and the reservoir of molten metal may thereafter be subjected to a vacuum degassing operation. During such vacuum degassing operation, an external source of fluid under pressure, preferably an inert gas, is conveyed to the ladle by means of pipe 64 which is inserted through the passageway 20 in the outlet nozzle 18 and connected to the fixture 54 of the fluid dispersing unit 50. The ladle may then be lowered into a vacuum chamber and the fluid under pressure is admitted to the molten metal bath by passing through the conduit 52 of the fluid dispersing unit 50, out through the exit 56 of the conduit 52 wherein the fluid under pressure is thereafter metered to each of the gas passageways 44 by flowing through the convolution of mesh material 60 through the porous refractory material 46 disposed in the gas passageways 44 of the stopper head 32. By regulating the supply of fluid under pressure, turbulence is created Within the molten metal, thereby causing a predetermined amount of stirring action during the vacuum degassing of the molten metal contained within the ladle.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use in processing metals, the combination comprising a ladle having a base and upwardly extending side walls secured to said base and disposed to form a reservoir for receiving a supply of molten metal therein, an outlet nozzle secured in said base to provide a passageway for molten metal therethrough, a stopper rod assembly disposed for seating engagement within a portion of the outlet nozzle, and lever means disposed to be secured to the stopper rod assembly to move said stopper rod assembly a predetermined distance from its seating engagement position in said outlet nozzle for metering molten metal from said ladle, said stopper rod assembly being formed of a stopper rod pin having a head portion secured to said lever means and a tail flange secured at the end opposite the head portion, a stopper having a central bore therethrough and disposed to be carried by the stopper rod pin, said central bore of the stopper being divided into at least two axially aligned portions, the upper portion of said bore having a diameter suflicient to accommodate the stopper rod pin and the lower portion of said central bore having a diameter suflicient to accommodate said tail flange and to seat thereon, a plurality of radially extending gas passageways disposed in spaced relation about the stopper and extending from the outer periphery of said stopper inwardly to the lower portion of the central bore of the stopper at a predetermined distance below the tail flange, porous refractory material impervious to the flow of molten metal therethrough disposed in each of said gas passageways, ceramic sleeves disposed to surround said stopper rod pin in seating engagement on the stopper, a fluid dispersing unit disposed in the lower portion of the bore and secured to the tail flange, said fluid dispersing unit comprising a centrally disposed, downwardly depending conduit secured at one end thereof to said tail flange and the other end thereof extending a predetermined distance below the bottom extremity of the lower portion of the stopper bore and terminating in a fixture disposed to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure, said conduit having at least one exit port therein positioned at a predetermined distance below the juncture of said con duit with the tail flange, a pair of spaced outwardly extending flanges secured to said conduit for defining an annular passageway adjacent said gas passageways in the stopper and exit port in the conduit, at least one convolution of mesh material disposed to extend between said pair of outwardly extending flanges for enclosing said exit port, a sealing ring disposed in spaced relation below the lower of said spaced pair of outwardly extending flanges near the bottom extremity of the lower portion of the stopper bore and extending into engagement with the stopper, said sealing ring, the lower of the spaced pair of said outwardly extending flanges, the lower portion of the stopper bore and a portion of the conduit defining an annular sealing cavity, a castable refractory disposed in said sealing cavity, and means for supplying a fluid, under pressure, through the outlet nozzle of said fluid dispersing unit whereby a fluid, under pressure, is injected into the reservoir of molten metal to turbulently stir the molten metal contained within said ladle.

2. An apparatus for use in processing metals, the combination comprising, a ladle having a base and upwardly extending side walls secured to said base and disposed to form a reservoir for receiving a supply of molten metal therein, an outlet nozzle secured in said base to provide a passageway for the molten metal therethrough and a stopper rod assembly disposed for seating engagement within a portion of the outlet nozzle, said stopper rod assembly being formed of a substantially solid stopper rod pin terminating in a tail flange, a stopper having a central bore therethrough, the lower portion of which has a diameter suflicient to accommodate the tail flange and disposed to receive and be carried in fluid tight sealing engagement on said tail flange, and a plurality of heat insulating sleeves disposed in seating engagement on the stopper, said stopper having a plurality of radially extending passageways disposed in spaced relation about the stopper and extending from the outer periphery of the stopper inwardly to and in communication with the central bore of the stopper at a predetermined distance below the tail flange, porous refractory material impervious to the flow of molten metal therethrough disposed in each of said passageways, a fluid dispersing unit secured to the tail flange Within the lower portion of the central bore and disposed in sealing engagement within the central bore of said stopper and communicating with said passageways, and means for supplying a fluid, under pressure, through the outlet nozzle to said fluid dispersing unit whereby a fluid, under pressure, is injected into the reservoir of molten metal to turbulently stir the molten metal contained within said ladle.

3. An apparatus for use in processing metals, the combination comprising, a ladle having a base and upwardly extending side walls secured to said base and disposed to form a reservoir for receiving a supply of molten metal therein, an outlet nozzle secured in said base to provide a passageway for the molten metal therethrough, and a stopper rod assembly disposed for seating engagement within a portion of the outlet nozzle, said stopper rod assembly being formed of a substantially solid stopper rod pin terminating in a tail fian e, a stopper having a stepped central bore therethrough, the lower portion of which has a diameter sufficient to accommodate the tail flange and disposed to receive and be carried in fluid tight seating engagement on said tail flange, and a plurality of heat insulating sleeves disposed to encase said stopper rod pin in seating engagement on the stopper, said stopper having a plurality of radially extending passageways disposed in spaced relation about the stopper and extending from the outer periphery inwardly to the central bore of the stopper at a predetermined distance below the tail flange, porous refractory material impervious to the flow of molten metal therethrough disposed in each of said passageways, and a fluid dispersing unit disposed in the lower portion of the central bore of the stopper, said fluid dispersing unit comprising a centrally disposed downwardly depending conduit secured to the tail flange, said conduit having at least one exit port disposed adjacent the radially extending passageways, a sealing ring secured to the downwardly depending conduit a predetermined distance below the exit port disposed to seal the fluid dispersing unit within the bore of the stopper, and means disposed to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure through the outlet nozzle to said fluid dispersing unit whereby a fluid, under pressure, is injected into the reservoir of molten metal to turbulently stir the molten metal contained within said ladle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,826,494 3/58 Drummond -5 9 3,08 3,422 4/ 63 Finkl 2285 FOREIGN PATENTS 834,234 5/60 Great Britain.

MARCUS U. LYONS, Primary Examiner.

M HAEL V. BRINDISI, Examiner. 

2. AN APPARATUS FOR USE IN PROCESSING METALS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A LADLE HAVING A BASE AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE WALLS SECURED TO SAID BASE AND DISPOSED TO FORM A RESERVOIR FOR RECEIVING A SUPPLY OF MOLTEN METAL THEREIN, AN OUTLET NOZZLE SECURED IN SAID BASE TO PROVIDE A PASSAGEWAY FOR THE MOLTEN METAL THERETHROUGH AND A STOPPER ROD ASSEMBLY DISPOSED FOR SEATING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN A PORTION OF THE OUTLET NOZZLE, SAID STOPPER ROD ASSEMBLY BEING FORMED OF A SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID STOPPER ROD PIN TERMINATING IN A TAIL FLANGE, A STOPPER HAVING A CENTRAL BORE THERETHROUGH, THE LOWER PORTION OF WHICH HAS A DIAMETER SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE THE TAIL FLANGE AND DISPOSED TO RECEIVE AND BE CARRIED IN FLUID TIGHT SEALING ENGAGEMENT ON SAID TAIL LANGE, AND A PLURALITY OF HEAT INSULATING SLEEVES DISPOSED IN SEATING ENGAGEMENT ON THE STOPPER, SAID STOPPER HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING PASSAGEWAYS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION ABOUT THE STOPPER AND EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE STOPPER INWARDLY TO AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CENTRAL BORE OF THE STOPPER AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BELOW THE TAIL FLANGE, POROUS REFRACTORY MATERIAL IMPERVIOUS TO THE FLOW OF MOLTEN METAL THERETHROUGH DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS, A FLUID DISPERSING UNIT SECURED TO THE TAIL FLANGE WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CENTRAL BORE AND DISPOSED IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE CENTRAL BORE AND SAID STOPPER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PASSAGEWAYS, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A FLUID, UNDER PRESSURE, THROUGH THE OUTLET NOZZLE TO SAID FLUID DISPERSING UNIT WHEREBY A FLUID, UNDER PRESSURE, IS INJECTED INTO THE RESERVOIR OF MOLTEN METAL TO TURBULENTLY STIR THE MOLTEN METAL CONTAINED WITHIN SAID LADLE. 